Lionheart 5

I 'M AT 26 deg. south (about 1200km off the coast of Brazil) and it is already boiling. All of my clothes are folded away and I have to wipe myself down with a wet facewasher and stand in the breeze to cool off.

I know I've been hanging out to add some marine life to the menu, but my encounter this week was a bit more than I bargained for. I was lying in my bunk listening to the BBC World Service when all of a sudden there was a loud thud which threw the tiller pilot off its attachment. I quickly jumped up and re-attached the steering when I looked behind and saw what had caused the thud. I had collided with a large whale which was swimming after me about 10 metres away. The poor thing must have gotten quite a shock when sunbaking at the surface, but to tell the truth I wasn't really concerned about him. Reports of yachts that had sunk when whales continually barged at them for no apparent reason mixed with my thoughts that at least this whale had an excuse for being mad. I was relieved when he let me continue. He went back to his partner and I to my bunk, thankful that there was no damage, considering I was travelling at top speed.

Grade 5-6 at Foster Primary School asked me what date I expect to get back and how my family is coping with all this. My family are coping well (as long as I don't have any whale stories or knockdowns to report).

It probably would have been harder for them at the start, but now that I've covered a fair distance, they know there is not a great deal to worry about. I plan to get home at the end of August on my 18th birthday and hopefully before the snow season finishes. Prep R from Warrigal Primary School was also wondering what type of birds I see. I don't know what most of them are called, but there is a big variety. The albatrosses I saw at the Horn were the biggest I have seen so far, and it looked as if their wingspan was as wide as the boat (more than three metres). At other times I have been followed by flocks of about 500 smaller birds for two days. They were landing behind the boat and eating things out of the water that must have come from the weed under the boat. I have also got a pet on board. His name is Barny. In fact, it is a family of goosenecked barnacles growing at the bottom of the windvane paddle. They've been with me for over a month and I'm encouraging them to grow so one day I can celebrate with barnacles kilpatrick.

The sun is quite low and the temperature outside is becoming more pleasant. I'm just about to make a chocolate milk (have gone off coffee because it was giving me a headache) and sit out in the cockpit with a setting sun while I do some reading. Before I go I would like to wish my grandma a happy birthday for yesterday when she turned 73. Congratulations Gran.

30.03.99

IF it wasn't for the wind which picked up last night, I may very well have gone crazy out here. I had three days of the most pathetic breeze which turned the sea to an oily desert. The sun continued to beat down, following me around the boat as I tried to hide in the shade. It was a different way to experience the ocean all right. I noticed how many small man-of-war jellyfish were floating around with their air sacks on the surface of the water. I also saw some more pilot whales and had a visit by a curious turtle, but the most excitement came when I pulled in my first fish, on Good Friday, of all days. I was drifting so slow that the lure was as deep as it was far behind me and I didn't even notice the baby dorado that was hooked.

Though these have been frustrating days, I had to marvel at the tempting water which has returned to its beautiful, refreshing deep blue. Fortunately the wind is continuing to pick up, which cools things down. The boat has dried out, but now I face another problem. Any water that lands on deck evaporates quickly, leaving salt everywhere. It is more concentrated now than ever before and I have to be extremely careful with electronic gear. Apart from that, it is also sticky and attracts moisture in the early hours of the morning. I was totally sucked in on April Fool's Day when my mates Paul and Chatri, independent of each other and confidentially, told me that another mate was planning to propose to his girlfriend. There was no reason for me to disbelieve them, especially since they both said the same thing. I don't even know the current date let alone when the first of April was going to pop up. It just shows how removed I am from the conventional way of life. This week I got a question from Aimee at Research Primary School. She wanted to know if the voyage has been easier than I thought it would be. In a way I would have to say it has. Before I left I really didn't know what to expect. I had read all the books about people who had done similar voyages and they scared the living daylights out of me. I just thought to myself: "Well they've done it so there's no reason why I can't." I knew that somehow I would adjust to the conditions that I was bound to experience and learn heaps as I went. I don't want to sound like I took off with no idea at all, quite the contrary, but I set out slow, cautious and eager to learn how Lionheart handled. I knew I had an excellent boat, thanks to Mistral, which ensured my safety in the worst case scenario beyond all doubts. It was the unknown that made me anxious. I didn't know what I would encounter. In fact the hardest part is having the courage to attempt it in the first place, which I'm beginning to see is the case with a lot of things in life.

Jacob from Mildura South Primary School asked what was the first thing I wanted to do when I get home.

Each time it changes. Sometimes I think I want to dig into a whole tub of ice cream, while other times a souvlaki from St Kilda occupies my fantasies. I will probably be content with a warm shower and clean clothes and to sit on a couch that is dry. To sit down with Lionheart safely moored will be a great relief.

06.04.99

MY days are starting to become quite monotonous as they blend into each other. It seems I've been in this hot weather for so long without many incidents that my memory has no time frame or order. I feel very lethargic and haven't written in my journal for ages simply because there is nothing new to write. I think that my lack of speaking to people has played a part in this. Ever since the bottom of South America I haven't been able to get through to any operators to place a call. Everything seems to have slowed down in this hot environment - not only Lionheart's speed because of the fickle winds, but every action I make myself. The dishes take twice as long to do and I make my way around the boat as if in slow motion. If I'm starkers I have to be careful not to get anything caught in the rigging. I'm not sleeping the best because my head seems to be buzzing with unconscious thought and I find that my dreams are about the books I read and often I wake to myself sort of reciting them or making up my own endings. My world is closing in as I continue living the same day over and over. There are no longer any birds around and I haven't seen a ship since Cape Horn. I'm not sure whether these feelings are due to the long voyage, or if it is the sweltering heat with the never-ending sea and sky of the tropics that is to blame. Either way I'm looking forward to some milder weather and the familiar faces of family at half way. I am currently typing, but a minute ago I noticed the fishing line was tight. I went up and pulled it in to find only half a tuna. It is a beautiful color, but those blasted sharks had to steal half of it. Ah well, better half than none.

I was asked by Tammie and Margaret how big my 18th birthday celebration will be when I get home.

Well, I don't how big it will be, but I'm sure I will never forget it. The Year 12 girls at Strathcona were also wondering what kind of books I've been reading. I've got heaps of books to chose from which Dymocks gave me, from novels about terrorism in the Middle East to inspirational stuff about a paraplegic's struggle to walk again. Most of all though I like reading books by Thor Heyerdahl and Tim Severin, two great adventurers, as well as the odd psychological-minded book and, of course, the Bible. Well I'm off now for a bit of fresh tuna. A hot pan with a little oil and a few drops of Tabasco. Mmmmm!

13.04.99

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